IslamabadPakistani International Airlines (PIA) will remain based in the United Kingdom, where the UK Ministry of Transport (DFT) confirmed on Tuesday that the ban on air safety will remain in place, which leads to the cancellation of your hopes in a quick return after a period of four years.
A DFT spokesman explained that airlines must undergo a strict operation to raise restrictions and added that the UK Civil Aviation Authority is conducting continuous discussions with the Pakistani authorities regarding this issue.
The UK Air Safety List includes airlines and prohibited countries from operating commercial flights to and from the UK due to safety concerns.
According to the official website of the UK government, “all air transport companies approved by the authorities responsible for the organization of Pakistan are banned from operating commercial air services to, and from within the United Kingdom.”
This last development comes shortly after the reports that the British Air Safety Committee had lifted the ban, which led to optimism between Pakistani officials.
The ban, which he first imposed in July 2020, followed a major scandal that revealed the operation of many Pakistani pilots with fraudulent licenses. The acceptance of this case by the then Minister of Development, Ghulam Sawar Khan, came after a devastating Airbus A-320 accident in Karachi, who killed nearly 100 people.
In the wake of the scandal, the United Kingdom, the European Union and the United States imposed a ban on PIA, which led to great financial losses for the airline, with an estimated 40 billion rupees ($ 144 million) in annual revenue.
Despite this setback, Pia celebrated a modest achievement in January 2025 by resuming direct flights to Europe, with a flight from Islamabad to Paris.
Abdullah Hafiz Khan, a spokesman for Pia, shared the ambition of the airline, saying that as soon as DFT, the airline is eager to re -provide services to London, Manchester and Birmingham, which will be in great request.
Meanwhile, the Pakistani government has advanced forward plans to privatize PIA. The Associated Press in Pakistan reported that a plan for a quick path was approved at a meeting headed by Deputy Prime Minister Senator Isaac Dar in Islamabad.
The Cabinet Committee on Specialization (CCOP) highlighted the plan, which includes the sale of a 51-100 % stake in the airline, along with administrative control. According to the report, the Deputy Prime Minister confirmed the government’s commitment to PIA to increase its capabilities and reduce the financial burden on the national treasury.
